1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of high performance bicycle components and, more specifically, to lightweight, high strength seat posts.
2. Prior Art
High performance cycling requires a frame and other components of a bicycle to possess strength, rigidity, and light weight. As is well known, tubular bicycle frames and seat posts are ordinarily made of metal or metal alloys such as steel, aluminum, or titanium. High strength composites such as carbon or fiberglass reinforced cured resins are also useful for high strength tubular structural parts. Bicycle seat posts that are manufactured from composite materials are subject to damage since clamping of an end of a bicycle seat post into a less than ideally prepared frame structure can quickly destroy the structural integrity of composites through gouging, fretting and point loading. For the same reason, a bicycle seat assembly cannot be clamped to the upper end of a seat post manufactured of composites.
Since most high performance bicycles now employ a high performance seat-receiving head to which the seat is clamped, a new seat post is desired which combines the best features of metals and composites.